Yesterday we visited the Donana national park, west of Jerez.We are lucky to live on an RSPB reserve at home, so a lot of the birds were familiar to us, but we saw many flamingos, and lots of cranes preparing their nests and getting very lovey dovey! The weather was too dull for any decent photos....It was a good day out, tried the local sherry, manzanilla, which is only made in Sanlucar and had a wonderful meal of octopus followed by grilled monk fish.

I was just sitting here watching 8 out of 10 cats by my window and caught something out of the corner of my eye shoot across the road. A large fox. There are people walking their dogs out there, cars driving by and parking. He / she sat next to a wheelie bin, watching the world go by. Not a care in the world. Fascinating! I've taken a few photos but not sure they'll come out well. If they do, I'll post them here.

We have (not our choice) an extractor fan in our bathroom which we put sellotape over on the inside but on the outside of the house it is a series of small horizontal strips that can flap open. The builder noticed that the top flap was permanently open and pointed out a great tit going in the open flap, a minute later the next flap down opened and the great tit flew out !!!! So we have a family of great tits nesting in there. When in the ensuite you can hear the birdies which sends the cats into upheaval as they can hear them. Anyone else out there have the same situation ???

Herbidacious wrote:It was a while a go now, but it was a piercing very loud note, I think.

did you listen to the link? the song is much louder and piercing than i was expecting from a small bird.we've had blackcaps in our garden every-so-often.

Sorry I didn't see your link. But I had already listened to nuthatch 'song' nearer the time (I'd forgotten I'd done this) and also looked up a you tube video with it's call on it yesterday: I am pretty sure it was a nuthatch.

is it my imagination or is it a bumper year for primroses? we are inundated with them. they've taken over as the splashes of yellow in verges, hedges, the garden - and all over the place, now that the daffs are all gone.

They were lovely in France the other week, although they are always pretty plentiful on the verges there. (And in our garden.) I have a few coming up here. Not sure if they were put there by previous owners or are weeds. I also have speedwell and dog violets coming up in the lawns.

And ooh the cherry blossom is out and glorious. Alas we've not had any very blue skies since it came out for nice photos.

Last edited by Herbidacious on April 24th, 2018, 8:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

We have a white one in the back garden, it is over 25 years old and that generally is the extent of their lifetime. We also have a pink one which is more poplar shaped in the orchard. They are lovely for about 3 weeks a year in bloom. Then when the petals fall, they get everywhere. The leaves in Autumn are very colourful and easy to collect for compost. We do like to sit under the dappled shadow on a hot day.

We inherited this one with the house. I love to stand under it and look up when it's in full bloom so all I can see is a canopy of pink and a bit of sky... as in the photos.The overall phone pic doesn't do it justice.Our neighbour has two fragrant lilac trees either side of his drive which are beginning to flower now, so by the time the cherry blossom has gone, the lovely lilac will be in full bloom.

I have three trees outside my living room window. I may post a photo of a cutting of its leaves later to identify species. My mum reckons they'd get on her nerves but I quite like the fact that they shield my room when the sun is strong and I'd prefer to look at trees than shops and houses. Plus, various birds visit throughout the day and of an evening the trees come alive with singing. I have a pair of pigeons who rest on the same branch a couple of times each day, having a good old clean next to each other, facing into my room! Of course, I have to say hello. Greenery was one thing my last residence did not have. None! It's not until you get it back that you realise how much you missed it when it wasn't there!

suffolk wrote:I couldn't live without greenery around me. I don't function well without it. I know some people have to but it's not surprising that stress and anxiety is increasing in such places.

James Wong is worth following on Twitter just to see the wonderful ways he brings greenery into the smallest shoebox flat, his houseplants and terrariums are things of great beauty. He also talks a lot of sense, and myth busts pseudo science- a very interesting man.

Been to the Walthamstow wetlands, walked 12 k with my monocular and an experienced birder (and the rest of the walking gang)Saw cormorants, shelduck, pochard, swans, tufted duck, and others; heard many more including reed bunting and finches. Both Canada and greylag geese had goslings. Ahhhh....

Ah, it's an elder, not an ash. Sambucus nigra https://en.wiki edia.org/wiki/Sambucus_nigra ... you can see the flower buds ... soon you'll be getting the lovely creamy umbels of elderflower (use in fritters or with gooseberries to make crumbles and jams, of of course, elderflower champagne) and in the autumn it'll be covered with berries for the birds (and elderberry wine).

Lots of folklore attached to elder too ... it's the home of a sprite or white witch ... and you mustn't cut it down without asking her permission.

Yes, always ask for permission from the Elder Fairy when picking the flowers or the berries.

Elderflowers make lovely jelly too. I made a batch a few years back and still have some left. Lovely stirred into yogurt or ice cream, or in a glass of fizz . I use it in dressings as well (in fact, there's some in the dressing for a black bean salad we're having with some seared tuna for our tea). As Suffs said, plenty of berries to be had in the autumn. As well as wine, elderberries make a lovely chutney (I have a jolly good recipe for elderberry and apple chutney ).

Oh how lovely! Thank you for the info! I presume I will be able to make elderflower cordial, something I have always fancied having a go at. I'm intrigued by the fritters! Will Google recipes in readiness. I suppose the berries coming in autumn is probably one of the reasons why this is such a popular tree with birds. It's a haven for them, and they are usually well hidden by the leaves. I have noticed a pair of pigeons are visitors to one particular branch a few times each day. I never see any other pigeons round here, just these two.

Herbidacious wrote: really couldn't see what this was even though my camera with the zoom zooming in (300mm), but when cropped I can see better ... a nuthatch???It was making a very, loud piercing sound.

Herbi, just found this ... send to my email, and I will ask daughter who spends every minute of her free time photographing birds and any other wildlife she sees ....